Russia releases WSJ journalist and convicted US marine in exchange, media reports
Photo: Evan Gershkovich (Getty Images)
Russia has released The Wall Street Journal correspondent Evan Gershkovich and former US Marine Paul Whelan as part of a prisoner exchange, Bloomberg reports.
"Russia is releasing Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and former US Marine Paul Whelan in a major multi-country prisoner swap," the statement said.
It is worth noting that Wall Street Journal journalist Evan Gershkovich was detained in Russia at the end of March 2023 for alleged espionage. He was accused of allegedly gathering information about Uralvagonzavod on behalf of the CIA.
Gershkovich was sentenced to 16 years in a high-security colony in July 2024.
Former US Marine Paul Whelan was arrested in Moscow in December 2018 on charges of espionage. He was sentenced to 16 years in prison in May 2020.
Major prisoner exchange
Western and Russian media report that a major prisoner exchange is being prepared between Russia and Belarus on one side, and the USA, Germany, Slovenia, and the UK on the other.
It is expected to be the largest exchange of political prisoners and convicts since the Cold War. Media reports have indicated that Russia may release between 20 to 30 prisoners. In return, the USA and other countries may hand over convicted spies and illegal traders to Moscow.
Who else might be on the exchange list
Officially, neither side has confirmed the exchange. However, both Western and Russian media report that Moscow may release convicted opposition figures Vladimir Kara-Murza and Ilya Yashin. The lists might also include German and Russian citizen Kevin Lick, convicted of treason, activists Lilya Chanysheva and Ksenia Fadeyeva, and artist Sasha Skochilenko.
Belarus is expected to release German citizen Rico Krieger, who was sentenced to death in Belarus but was recently pardoned by the self-proclaimed president Alexander Lukashenko.
The USA, on its part, may release Russian Alexander Vinnik, convicted of operating the BTC-e cryptocurrency exchange. Illegal traders Maksim Marchenko, Vladislav Klyushin, and Vadim Konoshchenok might also be released.
Reports indicate that Artem and Anna Dultsev, who were convicted of espionage in Slovenia, have already returned to Russia.
For more details on the potential exchange and who else might be included, check out our material.
